Dispensing unit with movably mounted supply container



Nov. 5, 1968 R. T. BREES 3,409,179

DISPENSING UNIT WITH MOVABLY MOUNTED SUPPLY CONTAINER Filed Jan. 16, 1'96? 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 5, 1968 T, BR 3,409,179

DISPENSING UNIT WITH MOVABLY MOUNTED SUPPLY CONTAINER Filed Jan. 16, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f *vuuu a 3'9 22 34 27 30 United States Patent DISPENSING UNIT WITH MOVABLY MOUNTED SUPPLY CONTAINER Raymond T. Brees, Oadby, England, assignor to Brees Plastics Limited, Leicester, England, a British company Filed Jan. 16, 1967, Ser. No. 609,529 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Feb. 5, 1966, 5,134/66; Feb. 25, 1966, 8,423/66 4 Claims. (Cl. 222-162) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A self-contained unit for sterilizing telephone receivers or other appliances, comprising a casing housing a fluid container which can be moved by press stud operation, and through a resilient coupling, to open a metering valve and dispense a specific quantity of fluid into the appliance.

The subject of this invention is a dispensing unit which has been devised for ready application to an appliance which can benefit from periodic treatment with a small quantity of a sterilizing medium.

Typical of such appliances is a telephone receiver, and the invention will hereinafter be described and illustrated in this particular context, it being understood that this is not exhaustive of its potential applications.

The object of the invention is to furnish a self-contained dispensing unit which can be readily fitted to the appliance to be served and can be operated in convenient and foolproof fashion.

To this end the present invention presents a selfcontained dispensing unit comprising a casing with a dispensing outlet having means (for detachably aflixing the same to the appliance to be served, a container for sterilizing fluid slidably mounted within said casing and incorporating metering valve means cooperating with a fixed abutment in said casing, a press stud or equivalent carried by said casing and operable from the exterior of the latter, and spring means in said casing forming a resilient coupling between the press stud or the like and the fluid container, the arrangement being such that depression of the stud or the like by a user will act through said spring means to provoke a sliding movement of said container and thereby apply said valve means against said abutment to cause a discharge of a predetermined quantity of fluid from said container to the dispensing outlet of the casing. Where the contents of the container are pressurised the discharge of fluid can be brought about directly by this pressure. In other cases, the valve means may be so devised, or the container itself may be so equipped, as to impart the fluid from the metering chamber with a pump action.

As will be observed from the foregoing, the unit of this inventiton is arranged to dispense one metered amount of sterilizing medium per operation of the press stud or the likea useful safeguard against excessive application of thesterilizing medium. This medium may be a disinfectant or 'germicide, for example with an addition of perfume, which may be dispensed in the form of an aerosol.

A form of dispensing unit according to the invention, primarily intended for use with a telephone receiver, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective illustration of the unit shown attached to the body of the telephone receiver,

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the unit, with parts cut away, and showing part only of the telephone instrument,

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view of the unit, seen 3,409,179 Patented Nov. 5, 1968 from the rear, with the casing in section and with parts cut away,

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross section through the unit seen in FIGURE 3, and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged cross sectional illustration of the fluid container of the unit, showing details of the metering valve.

In FIGURE 1 the telephone receiver is generally denoted 1 and its hand piece 2. The dispensing unit is de noted 3 and it will be observed that this is detaehably clipped to the rear of the instrument by clamping pads 50.

The unit 3 illustrated comprises a substantially semicylindrical cover 5 mounted on and bonded to a flat backing plate 4 to form a closed casing. The parts 4 and 5 may be inject-ion moulded from a suitable thermoplastics material such as polystyrene, which may be coloured similarly to the body of the telephone receiver. With the backing plate 4 applied to the plain rear face of the body of the telephone instrument, the unit 3 forms an unobtrusive fitment to the latter.

One end wall of cover 5 is provided with a rounded boss 6 defining a dispensing outlet from the unit of sterilising material, and a small bore rigid plastic dispensing tube 7 with an upturned end is fitted into this dispensing outlet. This tube 7 is replaceable to enable the unit to be adapted to different sizes etc. of telephone instruments, and the function of the tube is to direct a puff or shot of sterilizing fluid into the mouthpiece (or it could be the earpiece) of a hand piece resting on its cradle on the receiver.

It will be observed that the cover 5 of the casing also has an upstanding turret formation 8 which receives a press stud 9 with a curved upper face forming a thumb piece by which a fluid-dispensing operation can be performedas will be described below. The backing plate 4 of the casing, 4, 5 is formed at its lower part with webs 10 which serve as means for cradling a cylindrical container 11 charged with a pressurised sterilizing medium, as defined above. The upper surfaces of webs 10 are curved in conformity with the cylinder 11, and the latter is axially slidable thereon.

The container 11 is engaged at its two ends by the depending arms 12 and 13 of a yoke member 14 which is longitudinally and horizontally slidable in casing 4, 5 and is guided by a fixed ledge 15 projecting from backing plate 4 of the casing. An upwardly-arched leaf spring 17 (see FIGURE 3) is engaged at one end against a step 18 provided in yoke 13 and at the other end against a recess 19 in ledge 15, providing a fixed stop. This arrangement is used to convert a downward movement of the press button 9 into an axial longitudinal shifting of con tainer 11. Thus depression of stud 9 tends to flatten 0r elongate spring 17 and hence shift container 11 rightwards. The effect of right-wards shifting of container 11 is to cause a shot of sterilizing medium to be applied from the container through metering valve means (see below) to the dispensing tube 7.

The construction and function of the metering valve means used in container 11 will now be described in more detail with reference to FIGURE 5 of the drawings. The filling opening of container 11 is closed by a crimped metal cap 20 having a central boss 16 which houses the flanged end 21 of a tubular fitment 22 of relatively rigid plastics material, e.g. polyethylene. The right hand end portion of fitment 22 is formed with a fluid-metering chamber 25, whilst its other end portion is of somewhat smaller diameter and formed with a passageway 28 able to communicate with chamber 25.

A rigid valve member 26 passes through a discharge opening 27 in boss 16, through a seating Washer 23, through chamber 25, and into passageway 28. The member 26, is, it will be observed, solid at its inner end 29, where it is formed with a short longitudinal channel 35, but the end 30 thereof projecting outwards from the boss 16 is formed with a blind bore which, at its inner end, communicates with the exterior through a small orifice 31. The outer end 30 of valve member 26 is engaged in an internal spigot 36 of boss 6. The valve member 26 is provided between its ends with a collar 32, and a compression spring 33 bears at one end on this collar and at the other end against an annular internal flange 34 in the fitting 22 defining a fluid inlet opening to metering chamber 25.

In the normal, relaxed condition the spring 33 applies the collar 32 against washer 23, and in this condition the discharge opening 27 is closed. At the same time channel 35 at the inner end of the valve member 26 provides communication between tube portion 28 and the metering chamber. Since portion 28 is in communication with the main interior of container 11 (see below) pressurised fluid will therefore also be present in metering chamber 25.

When container 11 is shifted to the right by application of pressure to stud 9, the engagement between end 30 of valve member 26 and spigot 36 causes valve member 26 to move leftwards relatively to container 11, until orifice 31 is brought into communication with metering chamber 25 allowing the contents of the latter to be expelled into the dispensing outlet 6 and through dispensing tube 7. At the same time, however, the relative shifting of valve member 26 carries the channel 35 out of register with the chamber 25 and so shuts off the access of pressurised fluid from the container 11 into chamber 25. Consequently, only a single shot of sterilizing material of predetermined volume, i.e. the volume of chamber 25, will be dispensed.

When the thumb pressure on stud 9 is released valve spring 33 will return the container 11 leftwards and valve member 26 will resume its relative position illustrated in FIGURE in which the inlet of metering chamber 25 is opened and its outlet 31 closed.

FIGURE 5 also shows that the spigot portion 38 of a coupling piece 36, from which depends a section of rigid capillary tubing 37, is fitted into passageway 28. The purpose of this coupling is to provide a dip tube to the bottom of container 11 which will enable the latter to be completely exhausted of its fluid contents. It is also to be noted that the piece 36 has a cupped recess receiving the end of the fitment 22, and is provided in this recess with radial pips or lands, one of which is seen in section at 39, to guide and grip the end of tube 28. Further, it may be arranged that the base of the cupped recess 40 shall be provided with web portions, (one indicated at 41) which cut into the end of tube 28 So as to hold the coupling piece 36, and hence the capillary tube 37, in permanent position relatively to the container 11, thus avoiding any likelihood of angular displacement of the capillary tube 37 despite a long period use of the unit.

Finally, the means for detachable clamping of the unit to an applicance, e.g. a telephone receiver as illustrated, will now be described. For this purpose use is made of a rod 42 which is mounted longitudinally in the upper part of the casing 4, 5 and carries stirrup shaped pieces 43 and 44 at its two ends. Each of these pieces is provided with a sleeve, 45 and 46 respectively. The left hand sleeve 45 is loosely threaded on rod 42, whilst sleeve 46 has internal threading mating with threading 47 on rod 42. The latter is provided with an external head 48 with a saw cut therein. The outer arms of each of stirrups 43 and 44 is provided with a clamping pad 50. When the unit is to be attached to a telephone instrument, the head 48 is turned to loosen the stirrups, the latter slipped over the back of the instrument, and the head 48 tightened up.

I claim:

1. A dispensing unit for attachment to an appliance such as a telephone receiver or the like, for use to sterilizing the same, comprising a casing, means for detachably aflixing the casing to the appliance to be served, a dispensing device leading outwardly from the casing, a sterilizing fluid container having two opposite ends and mounted for axial end to end movement in said casing, valve means at one end of the container operable from the exterior of the casing for connecting the container to the dispensing device, said valve mean comprising a single shot metering valve carried by the container and having a metering chamber, a press element mounted on said casing, a stop in said casing, a leaf spring acting between said stop and the fluid container, said press element being adapted to engage and flex said leaf spring, whereby depression of said press element is operable to displace said container in said casing in one direction and open said metering valve to discharge a single shot of sterilizing fluid of predetermined volume from said metering chamber to said dispensing device and release of said press element is operable to cause movement of the container in the opposite direction to close the metering valve and permit said predetermined volume of fluid to flow from said container to said metering chamber in preparation for being released upon the next depression of the press element.

2. A dispensing unit according to claim 1, in which the casing is of part-cylindrical shape with a longitudinal flat face which, in use, is applied against the appliance served, with the axis of the casing horizontal and the press element or the like at the upper side of the casing, the fluid container then being disposed with its axis horizontal and the leaf spring being arched beneath the press element or the like with one end engaging said fixed stop and the other an abutment on a yoke piece itself engaging said container.

3. A dispensing unit according to claim 1 in which the metering chamber comprises a tubular fitting disposed in a discharge opening of said fluid container, and including a valve member slidable on said tubular fitting and having one end projecting through said discharge opening and the other end passing into a portion of said fitting communicating with the interior of the fluid container, said valve member being adapted, when the fluid container is shifted by said press element operation, to be moved by said dispensing device relatively to the remainder of the fitting against return spring action to provide communication between said chamber and the dispensing outlet of the casing and simultaneously between said metering chamber and the interior of the fluid container.

4. A dispensing unit according to claim 3, in which the inlet end of the tubular fitting receives a coupling piece carrying a rigid capillary tube extending at right-angles to the axis of said fitting.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,673,008 3/1954 Ryan 222162 3,001,524 9/1961 Maison et al. 222402.2 X 3,028,055 4/1962 Wood 222 3,032,081 5/1962 La Cotta 222180 X 3,039,656 6/1962 Wentz 222464 X 3,310,830 3/1967 Gattone 222162 X 2,129,322 9/ 1938 Hakanson.

2,578,821 12/1951 McBride 239308 X 2,632,585 3/1953 Tom'asek 2224021 X 2,721,010 10/1955 Meshberg 222402.2 2,942,631 6/1960 Biewald 222402.15 X 3,069,097 12/1962 Cheney 239303 X 3,084,871 4/1963 Puglis 239303 X FOREIGN PATENTS 885,733 12/1961 Great Britain.

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner. 

